Photography Tip - ALWAYS Make Sure Your Settings Are Right! Lightning Fail! TUTORIAL
Lightning is powerful!
A completely ruined lightning photo op!
Here's a tip, always double check your camera settings! I completely ruined this photo because I had forgot to change my f/-stop to a higher number. The ideal setting is somewhere around f/7 to f/8 for most nighttime lightning shots. I believe I had my camera set at f/5 during this particular instance.
ISO should be set somewhere around 100 as well. You can play around to find out what works best for your particular camera.
You need to use MANUAL FOCUS for lightning shots. Auto focus isn't fast enough to capture lightning bolts. The easiest way to focus your camera correctly is to focus on a distant light source. This should bring anything into focus past a certain distance.
Also, your exposure times may vary. Anything between 15 to 30 seconds will work just fine. I like to use bulb mode because I can wait for a lightning bolt before I release the shutter. This limits the number of blank photos I acquire. Bulb mode is best used with a tripod, but remember that the majority of tripods are composed of metal. Metal tripods increase your risk of being struck by lightning, so try and find a tripod made out of plastic if you can.
Shoot in RAW format if you can!
This is the same photo that has been tweaked a little. I shot it in RAW format because it gives you more control over your editing power than a jpeg photo allows. Sometimes you can fix an overexposed OR underexposed photo a bit easier if you shoot in RAW. Unfortunately, this photo was completely ruined and there's no way I could have fixed it. It would have been an amazing photo!
The correct settings look so much better!
You can save yourself a lot of misery by double-checking the settings. This photo was taken with my camera in hand, that's why there's a slight shadow along the tree line. I was also shooting through a window because it was too dangerous to be outside during this particular storm. The lightning was intense! It was also striking very close to me.
Check out this next photo!
Notice how the trees are lit up. This strike was EXTREMELY close to me. I'll admit, I jumped when it happened. That's why it looks all screwed up. It struck a tree on the hillside and killed it. The entire tree was brown within a couple weeks. Poor tree.
Recap!
- Double check your settings
- f/7 - f/8 for nighttime lightning
- ISO of around 100
- MANUAL focus only
- Exposure times of 15-30 seconds, or bulb mode if you feel comfortable using it/your camera has the ability.
- Tripod (preferably made of plastic, or some other non-conductive material).
Disclaimer: Lightning is fun to photograph, but it is also very dangerous. Please be careful if you plan on going out during a thunderstorm to try and catch a lightning bolt. I don't want anyone getting hurt or killed by using my advice :)
Storm spotter for the National Weather Service office out of Louisville, Kentucky.
Amateur photographer, capturing as many of life's amazing moments as I possibly can.
Proud former student of @markrmorrisjr and @dolphinschool. Feel free to check out both accounts as they are loaded with tips and tricks for becoming a more successful Steemian.
Excellent tips for photographers!
Thanks to @randomwanderings, this post was resteemed and highlighted in today's edition of The Daily Sneak.
Thank you for your efforts to create quality content!
Really?? That's so cool! Thanks!! :D
You're welcome!
I should sign up for a class! You know your stuff :)
I might not be the best but I'm okay. I'm pretty self-taught. I learned by experimenting :) I started around the time I was 10 years old or so. I'm 33 now!
Cool! Looks like you got recognized in @daveks post:)
Really? I gotta go see. He's an awesome dude!
This is really nice. What made you to think about taking some shots during the storm? I love the picture with lightning. It seemed you were a bit hiding from the window so that the Lightning won't see you. Haha.
Lightning scares me to death lol. Any decent lightning shot I manage to take is a big achievement for me lol. I love storms, and I love lightning, but I hate being outside unprotected during a lightning storm. If I can get a picture from indoors then I definitely will!
The Beauty of the picture worths the risk. Haha. How about incorporating a light detector mechanism so that the camera can shoot automatically when the lightning comes up.
I feel like that would be cheating. I've looked into them, but so far I like having my hand on the shutter :) I may get a flash detector someday. They do work!
Ok. 😁😀
Hey! I'm B² and you have been chosen by my automated assistant (B²Bot) to receive my announcement about a new challenge I'm hosting!
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Happy Steeming!
There it is again! I love yoyr main pic, the across the river shot. You used it in another post and i said something about it then. Great shot! And now I know how you achieved it. Nice post.
It looks very similar to the other one you commented on, doesn't it =) The location is the same, but the lightning is different. I got several shots from that location during that storm. And thanks!
This strike was EXTREMELY close to me.
Do not you care about your life?
I was inside the house when it struck. There's no way I was going outside in that storm. Lightning terrifies me when I'm caught outside in it. I value life a lot!
But a lightning bolt is ready to hit the window!
Yeah that could always happen. I have to live with lightning though. We have LOTS of storms here. They are saying we might get tornadoes tomorrow! I hope nothing bad happens.
This should keep you adrenaline all the time, such a climate.
Yeah. Today will be a long day!
Do you have a tornado?
We didn't get any right here, but 2 people died a little south of here today. A tornado hit their home :(
This is awesome! That shot you say you messed up because you jumped when the strike was so close?! Crazy. This is really terrific. :)
It was LOUD haha. Even from inside the house! Ugh I wish I had been aiming up the hill just a bit more! Thanks!
This is really amazing and so much lightning.
Beautiful and scary at the same time 😉
You really have some good informationen there and this is really interesting. Loved this.
Thanks again!! I want to say if the photos don't have a source under them, then I'm the one who took the photo. I love taking pictures!
Some good tips there, thank you. We don't seem to get much lightning here on Vancouver Island, but I'll be better prepared next time :)